HOPE at the heart of new pet adoption effort

It’s almost a given that just the image of a sweet cat, kitten, puppy or dog makes the average person feel good. In fact, according to a 2013-2014 America Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey, 68 percent of U.S. households own a pet. Maybe that’s why corporate America has taken notice of the impact these furry little friends can have on their brand, their image and, ultimately, their bottom line. More and more, companies are aligning their brands with images of the family pet in commercials for beer, cable television providers and automobile makers. And the same strategy can work for small businesses as well. Yes, adding the appeal and emotional connection of pets to your brand may be the recipe for a great cause marketing campaign.

Cause marketing is a mutually beneficial partnership created between a for-profit business and a non-profit organization. A successful cause marketing campaign can make a business stand out from the others. In addition to creating a positive effect on brand reputation, cause marketing can also help increase foot traffic to the business that can be converted to sales.

SAVING SHELTER PETS

Locally, Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Animal Services) offers local businesses and community organizations the opportunity to show their support by helping to save the lives of animals through shelter pet adoptions. Animal Services has adopted a no-kill policy as its guiding principle for pet rescue, steadfastly implementing programs enabling them to save the largest number of shelter pets in the history of the department. As part of this objective, Animal Services launched its first ever mobile pet adoption trailer named the HOPE Express—”HOPE” stands for “Helping Our Pets Everyday.”)

“HOPE is in the name because it’s at the core of our mission to help pets find permanent loving homes. We added ‘express’ because it conveys urgency and movement, with determination and with a sense of hope for their future,” says Alex Muñoz, Director of Animal Services. “With HOPE Express we’re removing the barrier of location and offering our community the opportunity to help save a life and adopt a pet, closer to home.”
Community pet adoptions events are an integral part of Animal Services’ commitment to make Miami-Dade County a no-kill community.

HOPE IS ON THE WAY

At 28 feet by 8 feet, the air-conditioned HOPE Express features 24 animal compartments with removable dividers that comfortably expand to 56 compartments. “The mobile trailer is easy to set up and break down, and it requires no electrical or water hookups,” says Luis Cuellar, Customer Service Supervisor and Event Coordinator for Animal Services. “Since its launch late this past summer, HOPE Express has been welcomed at locations from malls to parks and even in the Downtown Miami area.”
“We promote our HOPE Express adoptions to let people know when and where we’re going to be. It’s vital that we get each and every pet we take onboard HOPE adopted,” says Muñoz. Cuellar adds, “Some people who attend our events know that we’re coming to a certain location ahead of time, so they stop by to adopt a pet. But others are pleasantly surprised when they see HOPE Express, and if they’ve been considering adopting, they’re grateful for the opportunity and the convenience it offers.”

GIVE BUSINESS A BOOST

There are many benefits to hosting a HOPE Express Event. Here are just a few…

Draw attention and increase foot traffic to any venue or business

Contribute to cause marketing efforts and help to save the lives of homeless pets

Partners receive logo recognition and mentions in press releases, social media and other promotional materials that may include flyers and print advertisements, as well as placements on the Animal Services website

Event information will be submitted for inclusion in the Miami- Dade County’s “What’s New for County Employees” e-Newsletter, which reaches approximately 26,000 county employees

Information will also be available through www.miamidade.gov, the main online hub for all county communications.

Companies and organizations that want to do their part to save the lives of homeless animals can email Luis Cuellar at lxz@miamidade.gov or call 305-418-7188 to schedule a HOPE Express event.www.miamidade.gov/animals